Glimpses of Organizations in the Act of Learning

Although much has been written about the learning organization, there are few examples of specific practices that are implemented within learning organizations. In this chapter, the author provides authentic and descriptive glimpses of the learning practices in two organizations, one that has been a learning organization for over twenty years and one that is just three years into that journey. The practices in each are unique to their own mission, yet they are encompassed within the three blocks of a learning organization identified by Garvin, Edmondson, and Gino (2008): (1) a supportive environment, (2) concrete learning processes and practices, and (3) leadership behavior that provides reinforcement. What is common to both organizations is the fundamental belief that employees have both the intelligence and the will to act for the good of the whole which gives them the capability and the responsibility to fully participate in addressing their organization’s problems and guiding its strategy.